Biography
Boris Leonidovich Pasternak was born on February 10, 1890, in Moscow to a culturally prominent family. His father was a painter and his mother a pianist, creating an artistic environment that deeply impacted his future work. Pasternak initially studied philosophy at Moscow State University and later at the University of Marburg in Germany, where he learned from the neo-Kantian philosopher Hermann Cohen. However, he eventually left philosophy to focus on literature and poetry.
Pasternak's literary career truly began with his first poetry collection "My Sister, Life." Written in 1917 during the revolutionary upheaval, it was published in Berlin in 1922. The collection made him a major name in Russian poetry and showed his unique ability to mix personal emotion with wider historical themes. Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, he continued writing poetry and became one of Russia's most celebrated literary translators, creating well-regarded Russian versions of works by Shakespeare, Goethe, Schiller, and other European writers.
The release of "Doctor Zhivago" in 1957 was both the peak and a crisis in Pasternak's career. The novel, following a physician-poet through the Russian Revolution and its aftermath, was rejected by Soviet publishers due to its criticism of the Bolshevik Revolution. The manuscript was smuggled to Italy, where it was published and quickly translated into many languages. Its international success led to Pasternak receiving the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1958.
The Nobel Prize caused a political uproar in the Soviet Union. The Communist Party criticized Pasternak and pressured him to refuse the award, which he reluctantly did to avoid possible exile from his homeland. Despite the official disapproval, Pasternak stayed in his dear cottage in Peredelkino, continuing to write until his death on May 30, 1960. He was married twice, first to Evgenia Lurie and later to Zinaida Nikolajevna Pasternak, and his personal relationships often influenced his literary work.
Before Fame
Pasternak grew up in Moscow's intellectual circles, where his family's salon attracted leading artists, writers, and musicians of the time. Leo Tolstoy was among the notable figures who visited their home. Initially interested in music and composition, Pasternak later switched to philosophy, studying at Moscow University's Faculty of Law before transferring to philosophy. His studies in Germany at Marburg exposed him to Western philosophical traditions, but a romantic disappointment and growing love for literature led him to abandon his academic pursuits.
Returning to Moscow in 1914, Pasternak began writing seriously and joined various literary movements, including the Futurists. The revolutionary period of 1917 was a turning point for his artistic growth, as he witnessed firsthand the dramatic social and political changes that would later shape his greatest works. His early poetry captured both the chaos of the times and his personal search for meaning amid historical upheaval.
Key Achievements
- Awarded Nobel Prize in Literature in 1958 for outstanding achievements in contemporary lyrical poetry and in the field of great Russian epic tradition
- Authored Doctor Zhivago, one of the most significant novels of the 20th century depicting the Russian Revolution's impact on individuals
- Created definitive Russian translations of Shakespeare's complete works that remain standard texts for Russian audiences
- Published My Sister, Life, a poetry collection that revolutionized Russian verse and established him as a major literary voice
- Received the Bancarella Literary Prize in 1958 for Doctor Zhivago's international literary impact
Did You Know?
- 01.Pasternak's Nobel Prize medal and diploma were secretly kept by the Swedish Academy for 31 years until his son could safely accept them in 1989
- 02.He was forced to publish Doctor Zhivago abroad as part of a CIA operation designed to embarrass the Soviet government
- 03.Pasternak's father illustrated Leo Tolstoy's novel Resurrection and the family maintained a close relationship with the great writer
- 04.Despite being a renowned poet, Pasternak earned much of his income from translating Shakespeare's complete works into Russian
- 05.His grave in Peredelkino became an unofficial pilgrimage site for Soviet dissidents and literature lovers during the Cold War
Family & Personal Life
Awards & Honors
| Award | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Nobel Prize in Literature | 1958 | for his important achievement both in contemporary lyrical poetry and in the field of the great Russian epic tradition |
| Medal "For the Defence of Moscow" | — | — |
| Medal "For Valiant Labour in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945" | — | — |
| Bancarella Literary Prize | 1958 | — |